Magazines work for young-skewing brands, research finds

Magazine ads work in reaching young women, says a study conducted for Avon Products . According to a story in AdAge, Avon was so impressed by the impact print advertising had on its youthful-skewing Mark brand cosmetics, that it has reinforced its commitment to magazines.

People are much more likely to pay attention to magazine ads than online ads, said David Shiffman, senior VP-connections research at MediaVest, which conducted the study. "Magazine advertising is a key part of the magazine experience."

The study, which relied in part on an online survey of 1,500 people 18 to 34 years old, also demonstrated that people's expectations and goals in each medium depend on the subject.

Some 55% of respondents said they use magazines at least once a week to stay up-to-date on entertainment and celebrity news, for example, while only 37% said they use the web for the same purpose. And 41% said they check magazines at least once a week for fashion and beauty news, compared with just 20% who said they use the web.

The web is clearly better when people want fast, customized information, the MediaVest study confirmed. But people still tend to trust print more.